1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a camera rig for shooting multi-view images and videos and, more particularly, to a camera rig for shooting multi-view images and videos that is capable of simultaneously adjusting directions of multiple cameras and to an image and video processing method for use with the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
To obtain images and videos from three or more viewpoints, rigs are attached to respective cameras and are used to adjust intervals and directions of the cameras.
According to related arts, camera rigs are individually controlled. Therefore, as the number of cameras is increased, control of the camera rigs becomes more burdensome.
For this reason, a camera rig that can simultaneously adjust directions of a plurality of cameras is needed to easily obtain multi-view images and videos when a large number of cameras are used.
Furthermore, when camera rigs are used to control cameras, mechanical errors are likely to occur. The mechanical errors impair the three-dimensional effect of images and videos. Therefore, such errors need to be automatically corrected through image and video processing.
That is, when producing multi-view three-dimensional images and videos using many cameras, all of the cameras need to be directed to a subject. According to related arts, all camera rigs attached to respective cameras need to be individually adjusted such that the cameras are directed to a subject. Therefore, it takes a long time and requires special skills to obtain multi-view images and videos according to the related arts.
That is, when shooting a three-dimensional image and video, all cameras need to be directed to a subject. Furthermore, when the subject is changed, arrangement of the cameras has to be changed. Operation of rearranging the cameras every time when the subject is changed is very complicated and time-consuming.
In order to visualize a three-dimensional image and video using a glass-free display, images and videos captured from many directions are needed. That is, a front image and video are needed when viewing an image and video from the front side of a glass-free display and a side image and side video are needed when viewing an image and video from the left or right side of a glass-free display.
When shooting a three-dimensional image and video, arrangement of cameras is very important. A common area in images and videos shot by all cameras is used to generate a three-dimensional image and video and the remaining areas of the shot images and videos are discarded. Accordingly, cameras are arranged to maximally increase the common area. As the distance to a subject is decreased, it is necessary to maximize the common area by arranging the cameras to be directed to the subject.
When a person views an object, as the distance to the object is decreased, the pupil of the person's eye is more focused to the center. When only two cameras are used to shoot a three-dimensional image and video, it is sufficient that the cameras are panned in place, which is a method similar to human eyes, according to the distance to an object. However, when a plurality of cameras K more than two is used, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the cameras need to be moved as well as panned at the same time.
If the cameras are not moved but only panned to be directed to a subject A, since the distances between the subject A and the cameras vary from camera to camera, images and videos shot by the cameras may also vary. Therefore, a common area in the shot image and video are decreased.
When camera rigs with a simple structure are used, a user has to individually adjust each of the camera rigs by calculating positions and directions of the cameras for precise and accurate arrangement of the cameras. Therefore, a user has to perform complicated and burdensome tasks for arrangement of the cameras.
That is, the cameras have to be arranged in the following manner so that they are equidistant from the subject and from each other.
First, distances between each camera and a subject are measured. Next, a circle having the center on the subject and a diameter corresponding to the distance between the camera and the subject is imagined. Imaginary cameras are arranged along the imaginary circuit to be at regular intervals from each other. Next, positions and directions of the imaginary cameras are calculated. Next, camera rigs for the respective cameras are adjusted so that the cameras can be arranged at the calculated positions.
Such arrangement work has to be repeated every time a subject is changed.
Such complicated arrangement work using the simple-structure camera rigs impedes shooting of three-dimensional images and videos. For this reason, currently available three-dimensional images and videos are shot using only two or three cameras to avoid such burdensome and complicated camera arrangement work. In addition, in order to produce three-dimensional images and videos on a glass-free display that typically requires multi-view images and videos for production of a three-dimensional image and video with use of only two- or three-viewpoint images and videos, intermediate-view images and videos are generated. However, generation of intermediate-view images and videos incurs additional cost and the intermediate-view images and videos are not quality images and videos.
As the number of viewpoints from which a subject is shot is increased, the number of used cameras is correspondingly increased. Therefore, a large complicated camera rig that can surround a subject is needed. This camera rig has problems that it takes a long time to install and it is difficult to carry.
In connection with this, Korean Patent No. 1165223 discloses a technology related to “Horizontal-type Stereoscopic Camera Rig” and United States Patent Application Publication No. 2014-0118501 discloses a technology related to “Calibration System for Stereo Camera and Calibration Apparatus for Calibrating Stereo Image”